Wall shear stress topological skeleton analysis in cardiovascular flows: Methods and applications

A marked interest has recently emerged regarding the analysis of the wall shear stress (WSS) vector field topological skeleton in cardiovascular flows. Based on dynamical system theory, the WSS topological skeleton is composed of fixed points, i.e., focal points where WSS locally vanishes, and unstable/stable manifolds, consisting of contraction/expansion regions linking fixed points. Such an interest arises from its ability to reflect the presence of near-wall hemodynamic features associated with the onset and progression of vascular diseases. Over the years, Lagrangian-based and Eulerianbased post-processing techniques have been proposed aiming at identifying the topological skeleton features of the WSS. Here, the theoretical and methodological bases supporting the Lagrangian- and Eulerian-based methods currently used in the literature are reported and discussed, highlighting their application to cardiovascular flows. The final aim is to promote the use of WSS topological skeleton analysis in hemodynamic applications and to encourage its application in future mechanobiology studies in order to increase the chance of elucidating the mechanistic links between blood flow disturbances, vascular disease, and clinical observations

A reduced-order model-based study on the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression of limbs on the cardiovascular system

This work investigates the effect that the application of intermittent pneumatic compression to lower limbs has on the cardiovascular system. Intermittent pneumatic compression can be applied to subjects with reduced or null mobility and can be useful for therapeutic purposes in sports recovery, deep vein thrombosis prevention and lymphedema drainage. However, intermittent pneumatic compression performance and the effectiveness are often difficult to predict. This study presents a reduced-order numerical model of the interaction between the cardiovascular system and the intermittent pneumatic compression device. The effect that different intermittent pneumatic compression operating conditions have on the overall circulation is investigated. Our findings confirm (1) that an overall positive effect on hemodynamics can be obtained by properly applying the intermittent pneumatic compression device and (2) that using intermittent pneumatic compression for cardiocirculatory recovery is feasible in subjects affected by lower limb disease

Robotic-assisted approach to Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome with left gastric artery originating directly from the aorta. Report of a case and review of the current mini-invasive treatment modalities

Background: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) is a rare clinical condition. Methods: Through the analysis of a case report and a review of the international literature, we examined whether robotic and laparoscopic MAL release are safe and feasible. Results: Of 354 and 19 patients who underwent laparoscopic MAL release (LMALr) and robotic-assisted MAL release (RMALr), respectively, conversion to open surgery occurred in 6.8% of cases following LMALr, whereas no case of conversion was reported following RMALr. Immediate symptomatic improvement was reported in 92.1% of cases following LMALr and in 84.2% of cases following RMALr. In the LMALr group 9% of patients presented with recurrence of symptoms, whereas the percentage in the RMALr group was 5.3%. LMALr was related to a higher overall complication rate when compared with RMALr (7.3% vs 5.3%). Conclusions: Both laparoscopic and robotic-assisted MAL lysis with celiac ganglionectomy can be safely performed with minimal patient morbidity

Left hypochondrium insertion of verres n eedle for laparoscopic surgery

The Verres needle, invented in 1938, remains to date the principal surgical instrument for the induction of pneumoperitoneum (p.p.) in laparoscopic surgery. Although the diffusion and optimization of the insertion technique, positioning of the needle is not free of complications. This multicentric study compares the complications of Verres needle positioningin the traditional paraombelical site and alternatively in the left hypochondrium

Different agronomic and fertilization systems affect polyphenolic profile, antioxidant capacity and mineral composition of lettuce

The present paper aims to investigate phenolic profiles, antioxidant capacity and mineral composition of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., var. 'Maravilla de Verano') grown under conventional (CON) and an organic (ORG) systems with four different fertilization treatments. The polyphenolic profiles of leaf extracts were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), the levels of mineral elements by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, whereas total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically. Yield, soil and meteorological parameters were measured. In all the fertilization treatments, total phenolic acids and flavonols in CON were significantly higher compared to ORG. A trend parallel to that of single phenols was observed for total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. Plant mineral distribution revealed significant changes between CON and ORG systems in some plant macronutrients (N, Mg, S, Na, Fe) and micronutrients (Se, Mn, Mo). The differences among fertilization treatments for all the parameters considered were also discussed. From the overall analysis of the results, the higher content of phenolics observed in CON system could be associated to the presence of more stressful conditions, in terms of plant and/or soil mineral deficits. On the other hand, the adoption of an organic management determined higher yields and a better plant mineral balance

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity and fast UHPLC–DAD–IT-TOF profiling of polyphenolic compounds extracted from green lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.; var. Maravilla de Verano)

Fresh cut vegetables represent a widely consumed food worldwide. Among these, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most popular on the market. The growing interest for this ‘‘healthy’’ food is related to the content of bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols, that show many beneficial effects. In this study, we report the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of polyphenols extracted from lettuce (var. Maravilla de Verano), in J774A.1 macrophages stimulated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Lettuce extract significantly decreased reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide release, inducible nitric oxide synthase and cycloxygenase-2 expression. A detailed quali/quantitative profiling of the polyphenolic content was carried out, obtaining fast separation (10 min), good retention time and peak area repeatability, (RSD% 0.80 and 8.68, respectively) as well as linearity (R2P0.999) and mass accuracy (65 ppm). Our results show the importance in the diet of this cheap and popular food for his healthy properties